Hose nozzle construction



Sept. 18, 1956 w. G. RowELL HOSE NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Deo. 24, 1953 ww N N .N .mmm

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United States Patent O HOSE NOZZLE CONSTRUCTION William G. Rowell, Wollaston, Mass., assignor to Scully Signal Company, Melrose, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 24, 1953, Serial No. 400,306 8 Claims. (Cl. Z22- 394) 4 This invention relates to improved iluid delivery nozzles of the type which are commonly employed in tank trucks and which are customarily attached at the discharge end of a flexible hose for controlling delivery of a iluid, such as fuel oil, into a storage tank.

Fluid delivery nozzles as now developed in the art are subject to several disadvantages and are particularly unsatisfactory in View of gradual changes which have taken place in the fuel oil delivery field relating especially to greatly increased pumping speeds. For example, pumping rates of 40 to 50 gallons per minute are now common, as compared with earlier standard pumping rates of 25 gallons per minute. This increase in pumping speeds, although resulting in more efcient oil delivery operations, necessarily, requires that the operator use more care to avoid dangerous overflow or loss of oil. Hence, the operator needs a sharper control of the pumping operation at all times in order to combine eiiiciency with safety. such a control is not available in present nozzles and, in particular, there is no means provided for regulating flow uniformly over a range of pumping speeds. Various other objections, such as valve sticking, fluld leakage, excessive wear and break down, are also experienced with conventional types of nozzles.

lt is an object of the present invention to improve fluid delivery nozzles and especially to deal with the problem of controlling pumping rates so as to provide for uniformly graduated increases or decreases in pumping rates. Another object is to devise a special valve structure particularly suited for use with nozzle triggering mechanisms which are customarily retained in notched handle structures. The invention also aims to provide improved drainage features and valve sealing features in a nozzles structure of the class indicated. Still another object is to provide a nozzles construction that is relatively inexpensive, highly reliable in operation, capable of withstanding a great deal of rough handling, and yet characterized by a relatively simple design.

These and other objects and novel features will be more fully understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view taken on a line approximately centrally of the improved nozzle construction of the invention and particularly illustrating the control valve mechanism occurring in a normally sealed position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view of the valve control mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view'of a portion of the nozzle handle and trigger mechanism.

The nozzle construction of the invention as illustrated in the above noted figures is based in part upon the novel concept of a special cooperating control valve assembly including a pair of valves which are particularly suited for use in an elbow-shaped conduit such as is commonly utilized in fluid delivery nozzle casings. The structure shown in Figs. l to 3, inclusive, constitutes one preferred embodiment of the invention which will be described with reference especially to a nozzle casing. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited entirely to nozzle casings and may be embodied in other forms of fluid control devices.

The principal parts of my improved nozzle, therefore, include an elbow-shaped conduit, the control valve assembly noted above located in the conduit, and triggering means for operating the control valve assembly. The basic component of the control valve assembly is a stepped valve element of special design. This element, together with a second cooperating tubular valve element, have been illustrated in Fig. 2 removed from the elbow and generally denoted by the arrow V.

Considering these parts in detail, attention is directed to Fig. l in which numeral 2 denotes a casing which is provided with an inlet conduit 4 and a discharge conduit 6. Fuel oil or other fluid body is delivered from a tubular connection S and normally the fluid body is discharged through the threaded extension 10 and into a ll pipe 12 of a storage tank not shown in the drawings.

In accordance with the invention I form the casing 2 with a conical seating portion 14. This portion is eX- tended downwardly in the form of a short cylindrical sleeve i6. The control valve assembly of the invention is mounted against this conical seating portion and includes an outer tubular valve element 20, located axially through the cylindrical sleeve 16, and the stepped valve element 18.

The valve member 20 is normally held in sealed relationship with respect to the annular seat 14 by means of a recessed sealing ring 22, and at its lower portion the tubular valve element 20 is provided with a cylindrical eXtension 24 having an inner cylindrical bore 26 which surrounds the lower part of the valve element 18. This element is also provided with a sealing ring 28 which serves to provide a seal between itself and the movable valve seat member 20, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1.

As may be more clearly seen from an inspection of Fig. 2, the stepped valve 18 is formed with a cylindrical surface 2l which normally lies in closely spaced apart relationship with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the valve member 20. This cylindrical surface 21 merges with a conical or inwardly tapered surface 23 which, in turn, terminates in a second smaller cylindrical surface 2S. Similarly, a second tapered or conical sur face 27 terminates in a third smaller cylindrical surface 29. It will be apparent that when the valve element 18 is raised away from the tubular valve member 20, each one of these cylindrical surfaces 2l, 25 and 29, respectively, lwill move into successive positions of spaced relationship with respect to the inner periphery of the member 20 and will thereby define a series of annular passageways providing for periodic increases in the volume of fluid passing between the two valve members. It will also be observed that the valve member 20 when moved away from its seating surface 22 may also comprise an annular passageway of even greater magnitude through which fluid may pass concurrently with passage between the members 1S and 20.

To carry out displacement of the valve elements 13 and 20 from their respective seats, a valve lifting mechanism is provided. Thus the valve 18 at its upper side is provided with a valve stern 30 which is slidably guided in a recess 32 formed in a neck portion 34 of a cap 36. The latter member is fitted with an O-ring sealing member 36a and threaded into a similarly threaded opening at arteatro?" With a static pressure condition such as the pressure range of from 45 to 50 lbs. per square inch noted above, I find that I may very effectively utilize a relatively small stepped valve, such as the valve 18 shown in the drawings, to provide for three stages of changing flow under this pressure head. By using the small valve 18 within the valve 20 it is extremely easy to carry out the initial opening stage. The pressure within the nozzle is progressively and smoothly decreased with a minimum of shock to the operator, and the whole operation of the trigger is smooth and positive.

As illustrative of one specific arrangement involving three annular steps on the inner valve 18 to provide three passageways and a fourth passageway resulting from separation of the valve 20 from the seat 14 operating, for example, under the to 50 lbs. per square inch pressure range cited, the progressive movement of the trigger and valve assembly may be as follows:

Starting with the trigger 54 in the lowermost position shown in Fig. l, the end portion 54a is engaged in the notch 62a in the position shown in Fig. 4. When thus moved the trigger engages with the valve stem 38 against the pin 50, forcing the valve member 18 upward against the valve spring 35. This lifts the sealing ring 28 from the outer valve 20. A metered flow of oil then takes place between the cylindrical surface 21 of the valve 18 and the inner peripheral surface of the valve 20, using proportions such as those shown in Fig. 2, for example. There may thus be obtained a fluid flow of a magnitude representing approximately 25% of the total possible flow through the nozzle.

Assuming now that it is desired to increase the rate of flow by an increment of equal magnitude, the trigger is lifted upwardly and engaged in the notch 62h. As the trigger leaves notch 62a an abrupt change in the transition in one ow rate to another is prevented by the tapered or conical surface 23, thus preventing a momentary surge from causing overflow at the fill pipe. When moved into this second notch position 62b, the cylindrical surface 25 and inner peripheral surface of valve element 20, constitute an enlarged annular passageway which can be chosen to comprise approximately of the maximum flow through lthe nozzle.

A third position is arrived at by lifting the triggerand engaging it with notch 62C, and in this case the cylindrical surface Z9 of the valve 18 cooperates with the inner peripheral surface of valve element 20 to comprise still another annular passageway so chosen that the flow resulting therethrough will be approximately 75% of the total possible flow,

A fourth and final stage is then arrived at by lifting the trigger and engaging it in the notch 62d. When thus moved the lifter element 44 raises the entire valve assembly, including the valve element 20, away from the seat 22, and there is then comprised a fourth annular passageway which allows flow of fluid concurrently between the valve 20 and the casing sides, as well as between the valve elements 18 and 20. This constitutes 100% of the maximum flow through the nozzle.

The invention includes several other desirable features resulting from the construction and arrangement of the parts described. Thus the trigger 54 by means of its arcuate section normally engaged between the pins 50 and 52 on the valve lifting rod 38 permits a positive manual closure of the valve should the spring 35 fail or should the valve seat become temporarily dislocated. It will readily be apparent that by forcing the trigger S4 downwardly against the pin 52 it is possible to draw both of the valve elements 18 and 20 downwardly against the seat 14 and thus prevent accidental discharge of fuel oil or other inflammable fluid.

Another desirable feature is the arrangement of the valve mechanism in the elbow portion of the conduit so that oil retained at any point in the structure may have an opportunity to drain down through the end of the fluid after the nozzle has been withdrawn from a fill plpe.

Still another feature resides in the special means for preventing the valve 18 and the valve 20 from rotating about their respective seats. Extensive tests of nozzles of conventional sealing construction has revealed that wear does not occur evenly around the annular valve seats of conventional structures for one reason or another, and thus non-uniform wear occurs. If a valve is permitted to rotate unmatched contours come into contact with one another and leakage devolops. There has thus been present for a period of years intermittent and uncontrolled nozzle leakage of a serious and annoying nature. In the present invention this has been completely eliminated by providing the trigger 54 with an intermediate arcuate or curved section '58 so that the pin 52 acts as a stop for preventing the valve lifting rod 38 from rotating. Similarly, by providing the anti-rotation pins 42 in the spider portion of the valve 2t) and extending these pins through the slot 40 of the valve lifting rod, rotation of valve 20 is also prevented and the entire valve assembly is necessarily held in a constant seating position.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have provided an improved nozzle construction which not only provides for uniformly graduated increases or decreases, but also deals with a number of minor diiculties, such as failure to check leaking, failure to drain, and failure to properly hold the trigger in an engaged position.

While I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to in keeping with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

l. A fluid delivery nozzle for use under conditions presented by pumping mechanism of the type in which the fluid pressure drops as the nozzle is opened and the flow increases, comprising a fluid conduit having an inlet for receiving a uid body under varying pressures automatically determined by the available valve opening from said nozzle and an outlet for discharging said fluid body, valve means for controlling the ow of fluid through said conduit, said valve means including a valve seat member formed wth a cylindrical surface and a cylindrical bore extending away from the seating surface, a. valve element constructed and arranged to be moved in to sealing relationship with the said valve seat member, said valve element being formed with a series of successively smaller cylindrical sections projecting in to the said cylindrical bore, and means for varying the position of the valve element and the cylindrical sections in relation to the cylindrical bore to provide a series of annular uid delivery passageways each of which provides a cross-sectional area greater than the preceding smaller crosssectional area according to a generally geometric progres- `sion and which results in progressive drops in fluid pressure as each successive, larger cross-sectional area is reached, thereby to cause the fluid delivered by the said nozzle when at each successive, increasing, cross-sectional area to increase substantially arithmetically,

2. A fluid-delivery nozzle as set forth in claim l and including a trigger for manually moving said Valve element section by section with respect to said cylindrical bore, and latching means for holding `said trigger and said valve element positioned with any selected section cooperating with said bore whereby any proportionate volume of the maximum delivery rate may be selected and delivered from said nozzle.

3. A fluid delivery nozzle for use under conditions presented by pumping mechanism of the type in which the fluid pressure drops as the nozzle is opened and the ow increases, comprising a uid conduit having an inlet for ateatro? reseivns e uid body wider pressure and an Outlettvr ziiShfsing Said, Huid body, valve means for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit, a valve seat menibt formed with a Sealing surface and a cylindrical bere GIS .I lidilg @Willy from the sealing surface, a valve element, sp means for normally urging the valve element in to sealingrelationship with the said sealing surface, said valve element being formed with a reduced end portion which projects in to the said cylindrical bore, Said reduced end portion comprising a series of .cylindrical sections which cooperate with the said cylindrical bore, and means forV selectively locating the cylindrical sections in predetermined positions in the cylindrical bore thereby to provide a series of annular fluid delivery passageways which increase successively in cross-sectional area by innts of unequal Vand increasing magnitude, each successrve, larger, annular fluid-delivery passageway acting to cause a further drop in the pressure of the fluid body received by 'said nozzle, the relationship of each of the series of annular cross-sectional areas presented by said valve element to said cylindrical bore and the pressure resultingr therefrom being such that the volume of fluid discharged from said nozzle per unit of time will increase substantially arithmetically in approximately whole units as said valve element is progressively moved section by section from closed to maximum open position.

. 4. A uid-de1ivery nozzle as set forth in claim 3 and including a trigger for manually moving said valve element section by section with respect to said cylindrical bore, and latching means for holding said trigger and said valve element positioned with any selected section cooperating with said bore whereby any proportionate volume of the maximum delivery rate may be selected and delivered from said nozzle.

5. A structure according to claim 3, in which the valve seat member is mounted in sealing relationship with respect to an adjacent supporting portion of the said nozzle casing, and means for moving the said valve seat member out of sealed relationship with respect to the supporting portion of the casing to define an annular passageway acting in addition to the maximum passageway obtainable between the valve element and said cylindrical bore and thereby to cause a further drop in the pressure of the fluid body received by said nozzle, the combined areas of the passageways between said valve element and said cylindrical bore and the valve seat member and supporting portion of the casing in relation to the further reduced pressure acting to cause a further increase in liuid delivery of approximately one whole unit according to the said arithmetical progression.

6, A duid-delivery nozzle as set forth in claim 5 and including a trigger for manually moving said valve e1e nient section by section with respect to said cylindrical bore .and Afor vthereafter `lnoving ,said valve .seat member t0 @Perl Position, and lashing means for holding said trigger at any selected 'position corresponding to a known degree of discharge opening of said nozzle, whereby Yany proportionate volume Of the maximum delivery rate may be selected and delivered from said nozzle.

7. A fluid delivery nozzle for use under conditions presented by pumping mechanism of the type in which the uiiuid pressure drops as the nozzle is opened and the flow increases, comprising a fluid conduit having an inlet for receiving a fluid body under pressure and an outlet for discharging said fluid body, valve means for controlling the iiow of fluid through said conduit, a valve seat formed internally of the casing, valve means cooperating with the valve seat to control the flow .of fluid through said conduit, the valve means including a plurality of cooperating valve members arranged'in C011- centric sealed relationship with a series of reduced cylindrieal sections on the innermost valve member cooperating with the immediately adjacent surfaces of the next outer valve member to deiine fluid passageways which increase in cross-sectional area in unequal and increasing amounts, and said outermost valve member being mov able away from the said casing seat to define an additional of cross-sectional area such as to provide a total passageway area of a further increased amount.

8. A Huid-delivery nozzle as set forth in claim 7 and including a trigger for manually moving said valve members successively to positions of increased degree of opening, and latching means for holding said trigger and the valve members positioned at any selected degree of opening whereby any proportionate volume of the maximum delivery rate may be selected and delivered from said nozzle,

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 806,309 White Dec. 5, 1905 1,112,050 Berberich Sept. 29, 1914 1,543,827 Doty .Tune 30, 1925 1,604,791 Shield Oct. 26, 1926 1,635,010 Rose July 5, 1927l 1,821,206 Caswell Sept. 1, 1931 2,106,596 Duif v Ian. 2,5, 1938 2,151,658 Folke Mar. 21, 1939 2,445,524 Grise July 20, V1948 2,507,597 Holdridge May 1,6, 1950 2,528,747 Gravelle Nov. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,600 Great Britain Feb. 3, -1903 1903 i 427,586 Great Britain Apr. 26, 1935 

